This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 108,061 entitled Encoder For Postage Meter, filed Dec. 28, 1979 in the name of Philip Pollak, Jr., Keith E. Schubert and John L. Lorenzo now U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,144 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In the aforesaid patent and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,454, entitled Actuator For Postage Meter, filed Oct. 5, 1979 in the name of Philip Pollak, Jr. and Charles M. Weimer, and also assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed apparatus which is adapted to be removably mounted in operating relationship with respect to a postage meter having levers which are movable between a plurality of postage value selecting positions. In the K. Schubert et al. application there is disclosed an encoder for interfacing such postage meters with, for example, an electronic accounting device; and in the C. M. Weimer et al. application, there is disclosed an actuator for interfacing such postage meters with, for example, an electronic scale.
Both the encoder and actuator include a base having parallel spaced apertures which each include a first portion thereof dimensioned to permit movement of one of the postage meter levers within the associated aperture for postage value selecting purposes. In addition, for synchronizing the encoder or actuator with the electronic accounting apparatus or scale, as the case may be, each of the base apertures includes a second portion thereof dimensioned to permit passage of the postage meter levers through the apertures for engagement with the operating components of the encoder or actuator when the levers are located in a particular one of the postage value selecting positions; which position is normally the position which affords such synchronization.
When any of the postage meter levers jam in a position other than the above described synchronization position, the encoder or actuator, as the case may be, must be released from engagement with the lever before the jam condition can be cleared. Experience has shown that more often than not the jam condition could have been cleared by the customer without the intervention of a serviceman if the customer were able to gain access to the postage meter levers; but at this juncture the customer ordinarily calls a serviceman to release jammed levers inasmuch as he cannot do so without removing the entire encoder or actuator from operating relationship with respect to the postage meter.
Accordingly:
An object of the present invention is to provide customer operable means for releasing postage meter actuators and encoders respectively, from engagement with the postage meters with which they are operatively engaged;
A further object is to provide a postage meter encoder, actuator or like apparatus which is adapted to be removably mounted in operating relationship with respect to a postage meter having a plurality of postage value selecting levers, with a two-position, manually movable base for facilitating release of the apparatus from engagement with the postage meter levers for meter adjustment and repair purposes; and
Another object is to provide a postage meter encoder, actuator or other interfacing apparatus, as the case may be, with a base wall which may be moved for aligning an appropriately dimensioned portion of the aperture, formed in the base wall, with the associated postage meter lever so as to permit passage of the lever through the base, for facilitating access to the postage meter lever by the customer.